Thanks everyone for all the helpful suggestions & the chuckles they gave me too ! I really appreciate them I've looked at the Garmin & like it. But it's a bit out of my price range. I'm thinking about trying out a Marco Polo Tracker. It's about $300 dollars less & has a great battery life of 30 days approx. And a 2mile radius for locating the dog. If anyone had tried this unit please let me know. If not, then I'll post my review here when I get it. ( its a late xmas gift! ) Just incase it can help someone else too. I'm sad to say we never found the last 3 dogs. I'm going to make certain this doesn't happen again by doing all I can to help the pups they left behind. We have 10 of them! Lol. Thanks again everyone

LazyWP wrote:Flying S has had a few dogs that have taken a few days to get back home, but usually that's when the weather was hot. I have a half HanginTree, that won't quit unless you physically restrain her!

These dogs are HanginTree bred on both sides. I've never seen dogs that work like these do! You are right they just don't quit! Thanks for telling me about yours.

gcreekrch wrote:Dogs should not be introduced to stock before down and come back have been deeply instilled in them. The last thing I want is my dogs running wild on the range. Straight BS.

I wasn't there personally at the onset of these particular adult dogs training. So I really can't speak to it. But I have always loved my own personal dogs & they've always been well trained too. Ive never lost one before. In fact I would have felt that same way you do.... Before knowing these dogs. But The HanginTree dogs are a complete new experience for me. They have a drive to work that's incredible. I'm here trying figure out ways to help them to do the job they already know how to do- but just do it safely. I doubt any of us here, on this site, are fond of dogs running loose on the range. I'm reaching out to folks here for suggestions to hopefully help prevent that from happening. Plus hopefully I can gain some insight into this breed/line of dog from other owners. Thanks for your comment & I do respect the right your own opinion. So I will just wish for you to have a Happy New Year!

"Stay" and "Back" are the first things Mr. FH teaches his dogs. He starts teaching them that when he leaves the house and they want to follow him as puppies. When they are older and gathering cattle, he can almost whisper, to me for instance, "those dogs better come back here" and they hear him and come back. We are talking all 3 dogs. So I know it can be done, especially when they are taught that at a very early age. He just claps his hands when they try to follow him as pups, and chases them back to the porch and then says for them to 'stay'. Doesn't take long and it's not very scientific. But it works for him. He loves dogs and they love him. And they mind. He can call them off chasing a deer or a rabbit. They just shut right down and come to him. But they were always his pups and weren't started by anyone else.

Good luck, TMountainHigh. Be sure to check back and let us know how the new pups are coming along.

There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn't true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.

LazyWP wrote:Flying S has had a few dogs that have taken a few days to get back home, but usually that's when the weather was hot. I have a half HanginTree, that won't quit unless you physically restrain her!

These dogs are HanginTree bred on both sides. I've never seen dogs that work like these do! You are right they just don't quit! Thanks for telling me about yours.

I have been using my Hangin Tree/ Border Collie female while processing cattle. She can work a Bud Box about as well as a person, takes cattle back to their pen on her own, and MOST of the time can gather a pen of cattle out of the feedlot. Every now and then I have to screw her ear in then back out to get her attention. She likes to work the head more then I prefer, but if you walk away, she will bring everything to you. I am still learning that she is a gatherer, not a pusher!!

Down, stay and here are the first things I teach a dog. Then it's on to working cattle. I use blue heeler and have had great luck with them. The only time I have lost a dog was a time I was gathering heifers up that pushed through a fence in a snowstorm and were then in with the bulls. Our country is canyon country and got to riding hard, found the heifers and low and behold no dog. Drove them home, asked the wife if the dog had come home, nope. Didn't know what to do, she had never done this before. Went out to do evening chores at about dark, looked to the south and here came the bulls, with a dog bringing up the rear. She brought them home and penned them. I guess I was just glad she came home. I haven't lost her since. And she hasn't gone off to work on her own since either unless I send her out.

Good dog story, Canyonrider. Good dog. We too, use blue heelers. But our best dog, not sure what she was, some people near Dillon, Mt raised them and they were known as 'Birrer's Dogs.' They were yellow, with a white ring around their neck and were naturally bob-tailed. She was one tough dog.

Do you find female blue heelers are better than the males? We always used females.

There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn't true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.